Wire fabric



W. J. PINE.

WIRE FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1912.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921;

/ ATTORNEYS To all whom it may camera:

UMTED stares rarest e m.

WILBER J. PINE, OF OSHKOSH, 'W'ISCON'SIN'.

' WIRE FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2c, 1921.

Application filed July 23, 1917. Serial No. 182,268. I

Be it known that I, VVILBER J. PINE, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Oshkosh, county of Winnebago, and State of -Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wire Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire fabrics of a re silientnature, and particularly adapted for use-in connection with spring mattresses.

It is in general my object to increase the strength of fabrics of this nature particularly as against severe load conditions without under normal conditions lesseningthe desired maximum resilient distribution of load stress throughout the fabric with respect to the individual units and without adding materially if at all to the cost and difficulty of manufacturing. l a

It is more particularly my object to provide a fabric composed of units forming longitudinal lines of support which are capable of resilient transverse yielding under normal conditions broadly in the manner set i out in my copending application filed June 11, 1917, Serial No. 173,953, but wherein direct longitudinal connections are afforded upon the occurrenceof relatively great load stress, to provide sufficient strength against such stress. 1 a

A more detailed object is to provide a fabric including units having transverse connecting arms projecting therefrom in such manner as to resiliently resist relative longitudinal movement of transversely adiacent units.

I With the above androthen objects and advantages in view, the inventlon resides more particularly in the. novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointedoutin, theappended claims.

the line 2 -2- of Fig.1. 1

In thedrawings: Y I

Figure 1' is a plan view of a pair of con nected units forming a portion of my improved fabric.

Fig. 2 1s atransverse sectional view .on

.Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but

showing a modified form of vfabric unit.

Fig. 4: is a transversesectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3-. I i

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved fabric is formed of a series of units mutually connected longitudinally and transversely of the fabric, and in Fig. 1 each of these unlts is formed of a single length of Wire bentwupon itself at a substantially central polnt 5 to form a pair of slightly convergent shanks 6, the ,end portions of the length I of wire being bent'outward in opposite directions to form connecting arms 7, these arms being considerably shorter than the Ys'hanks 6 and being bowed outwardly at their inner ends at 8 whereby to curvingly 'merge into the ends of the shanks 6. By

and parallel planes so their mouths are closed by the loop 5. [For connecting the ends of the shanks of longitudinally adjacent series and for permitting a transverse resilient relative movement of the" shanks when so connected, the end "ofea chof the shanks adjacent the bend 5 is partially folded or doubled upon itself tothereby dispose said bend intermediate of the completed lengths vof the shanks thusforming downwardly turned hook members 9 at the ends.

of the shanks adapted toyengage the portions'8of the next succeedingunit. These hook members 9 have their extremities connected by the portion -5 and as shown more particularly in'Fig. 2 the units'may if dc; sired be loosely held in interlockingyrelation against any possible disengagement by bending the portion 5 to close the mouths of ing arm 7 is bent to formjan eye-loop '10 located in a horizontal plane, the extremity of this arm being bent about the intermediate portion of the arm at 10' to securely'hold the eye closed under load stress. The outer end of the other arm Tisbent to form an; eye-loop 11 located in a vertical plane and adapted for engagement in the eye-loop 1O of a transversely adjacent unit.

Thus the entire completed fabric, maybe formed of series of identical units, each formed in a simple manner froma single length of wire, to facilitate ease and the cheapness of manufacture.

1 In assembllng the longitudmal series of units, the connecting arms 7 and adjacent the hooks 9. Thefree end of the connect,

shank portions of one unit are inserted between the shanks of a succeeding unit to procure an interlocking engagement of the shank hooks 9 of the second unit with the shank and arm junctures of the first unit, the hook mouths being then closed as set forth. The units are transversely connected by interlocking the eyes 10 and 11 in any convenient manner.

The series of longitudinal shanks 6, directly connected at their ends, thus afford longitudinal straight lines of support in the completed fabric which will efficiently support an excessive load stress. At the same time, by the disposition. of the connecting portions of the shanks intermediate of'their ends, to permit a resilient lateral relative movement, a supporting action similar to 7 that set up in my aforesaid co-pending application is procured, providing for a resilient transverse resistance within the occupied portion of the mattress to take up the sagging tendency of the fabric between the points of pressure afforded by the salient portions of a persons body.

This action is procured by the transverse pull exerted by the connecting arms 7 on the shanks at the points of greatest pressure to thus provide for the'additional width and yielding of the fabric body at said vpoints, the remaining portions of the fabric being under lesser transverse strain to permit a more normal relation of the shanks 6. The curved junctures of the shanks and arms permit an easy relative movement of the attaching hooks to effect this action. The bowed portions 8 also provide for a considerable transverse stretching'action of the connecting arms 7 under load conditions.

The arms 7 transversely connecting the units extend integrally outward from their respective shanks and will thus resiliently oppose relative longitudinal movement of transversely adjacent units, whereby an added resiliency is provided against undue yielding and distortion of the mattress fabric, and this feature of resilient opposition to relative longitudinal movement of the units is dependent in no manner upon the relative transverse movements of the shanks to take'up the sag at intermediate points of the mattress when occupied.

It will be observed that the arcuate portion 8 between shank 6 and arm 7' hasa gradual'curve so that under a longitudinal strain the seat of the shank hooks'9 will be offset from the axis of the shank 6. Hence any suchlongitudinal strain tends tofiex ,the elbow 8 and displace angularly the arm '7. Such a longitudinal strain is resiliently to transverse of shanks 12 extending longitudinally in' the unit, and oppositely projecting connecting arms 13 similar-to the connecting arms 7 and connectedwith the shanks by similar inner bent portions 14. Each of these sections is formed of a single length of wire and theshanks are twisted together at 15 adjacent their junctures with the arms 13 to provide an intermediate connection similar to the connection afforded by the integral bend 5 of the previously described structure. The otherwise free ends of the shanks of each unit areconnected with thecurved junctures of theshanks and arms of a longitudinally adjacent unit by eye-loops16 at their extremitles disposed in vertical planes and corresponding to-the. closed hooks 9. The connecting arms 13 are terminally bent to form eyes 17 and 18 corresponding :respectively to the eyes 10 andll of the connecting arms 7. The shank sections at the sides of their mutually twisted portions15 are slightly divergent to increase the transverse yielding actlon of the fabric upon application of load, and it is'noted that in this form the transverse yielding action is also,

facilitated by the disposition of the con necting port ons of; the'shanks in. the general'horizontal plane of said'shanks and of the fabric, to avoid a twisting strain due pull on'the shanks.

I claim: 1

1. A wire fabric comprising a plurality of interengaging units, each unit comprlsing a pair of shanks arranged adjacent each other, arms extending outwardly in opposite directions from the ends of the shanks, the other ends of the'shanks being overturned to form hooks in parallel-planes spaced from the plane of the shanks, and an integral connecting hook-shaped 1oop--joining the ends of said first-mentionedv hooks and serving to close the mouths of saidhooks, said connecting loop extending'in a plane spaced from the plane of said; shanks so'as to be positioned substantially in the plane of the outwardly extending arms of the adjacent unit, whereby 'upon separation of said last-mentioned ends of said shanks said loop will yield both torsionally and by straight deflection.

2. A wire fabric comprising a plurality of interengaging units, each unit comprismg a palr of shanks arranged ad acent each other, arms extending outwardly in opposite directions from the ends of the shanks, each arm formed with a curved elbow whereby the arm may be longitudinally extended under stress, the other ends of the shanks being overturned to form hooks in parallel planes spaced from the plane of the shanks, and an integral connecting hook-shaped loop joining the ends of said first-mew,

tioned hooks and serving to close the mouths of said hooks, said connecting loop extendarms of the adjacent unit, whereby upon separation of said last-mentioned ends of said shanks said loop will yield both torsionally and by straight deflection.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILBER J. PINE. Witnesses:

DAN J. MCDERMOTT, WALTER IBBE. 

